"Being human, having your health; that's what's important."(from: Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi )"As long as we're all living, and as long as we're all having fun, that should do it, right?"(from: The Eccentric Family )

So in the US, we use "split-phase" electricity for residential service - a 240 VAC transformer with the center tap as neutral.

Most circuits go between one leg of the transformer and neutral (and with an additional safety ground pin nowadays) for 120 VAC, with a 15 amp breaker. Our electrical code allows 80% of the breaker's rating for continuous loads, which means 12 amps in practice for anything sustained (like a clothes dryer), and that's not much power to work with. (Some 20 amp circuits exist, primarily in businesses, though.)

Alternately, you can go between the two hot legs (with no neutral, but with a safety ground pin) for a 240 VAC circuit, and these also tend to be higher current - 30 and 50 amps are common ratings. These are commonly used for electric clothes dryers, ranges, central air conditioners, and recently electric vehicle charging. (Note that in some areas, electric panels are much smaller, and people use natural gas for clothes drying and cooking loads.)